Now that you all have a bit of idea about the main characters, I wanted to provide visuals as to what I picture them as. But you can picture them as whoever you want. (Obviously)
Myra Kapoor

Portia DeRose

Summer Graynor

Happy reading!
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Portia POV

I was never good at comforting people in grief. I felt bad for them, but what was I supposed to say! When I came to my room earlier, Myra was making arrangements to go home, her eyes red and hair messy. I had never seen her like that.

And she told me about her grandma, and I kept staring at her for 10 seconds, I didn't do or say anything. Not that there was something that could have helped.

So I made her sit and calm down while I started packing her bags. That's when Summer entered, and half-annoyed with myself I started taking it out on her.

Summer didn't say much either, of course. Among us three, Myra is the stable one, and she is holding just fine by herself even now. She is strong.

After dropping her off at the airport, Summer said she would be helping a friend with some work, and she might get late.

I decided to have an early dinner. I was supposed to write an article for our campus newsletter but thoughts of those photographs of us weren't leaving my head. Who would have done that? If that was just some amateur photographer, how would they know our address? It couldn't be our friends because they would have approached us right then and there. But we did kind of run away from the parlour...

And who in the world would send a freaking mail?!

Or maybe I'm just overanalysing it...

I should tell Myra and Summer about this. But Summer might freak out, so I should wait for Myra to come back.

My thoughts then wandered off to Myra's grandmother... I had never met her. Myra and I didn't know each other at the time when her grandma came to visit her. Summer had met her, and I know she also liked her, which is why Summer is upset too.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Camilla singing Havana. I picked up my phone to see the user ID, it was Aiden. That's odd, I'd never talked to him, and where did he get my number from?

"Hey Aiden," I greeted.
"Hi, Portia.. um.. how are you?"
"I'm fine. Can I help you?"
"Yes actually. I was trying to call Myra but I can't reach her, and Summer said she is outside and told me about her grandma... So she asked me to call you. Is she OK?"
"Yes..? I mean the ok-ish one can be after crying for hours after losing someone precious... Um, sorry I didn't mean to be rude." Why can't I deal with people!
"Oh, no! It's fine. Ok, thanks, I guess," he said and hung up.
Guess someone would not be happy with me this time.

I wasn't feeling sleepy today and this feeling of loneliness... I didn't go out on Sunday too and now without Myra the room felt empty, and who knew how long Summer would be out.

So I dialled the one person who would always be free for me.
"Hey, Mirelle."
"Hey, Portia! What's up?"
"I was wondering if we could hang out... I was kinda free."
"Oh, sure! But I was actually heading for dinner."
"Oh, okay! Then call me when you're done?"
"Suits me." She hung up.

With nothing else to do, I started writing the article, I'd already collected all the data and statistics. So when I was almost done with the article, I got a text from Mirelle.

We met on the campus lawn and waited for the others to join. It's fascinating how close Myra and I are and yet we don't have mutual friends. I know her friends just on a name basis and sometimes from commenting on posts on Instagram.

Audra arrived a bit later, accompanied by Drew. They had been seeing each other from before I met them. He'd just come to drop off Audra, he waved us goodbye and left.

"Portia, are you done preparing for the history mid-sem exam? I heard they are thinking of adding to the syllabus since this time we won't be having a break before exams, so they will have more time to teach further chapters," Audra said. Mirelle shuddered beside me.

"Oh... if it gives you any comfort I haven't started either. Myra and I were planning on studying together but she always chooses extra-curricula over academics, so it's going to be hard for us," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Oh! Where is Myra anyway? I haven't seen her in some time," Audra inquired. She'd met Summer last night when Myra left for the cafe. Myra mostly gets along with all my girlfriends.

"She was working on some music video last week. She's on her way to her home right now," I told her.

Luckily they didn't ask much as to how, what or why. It was not my place to tell everyone and Myra wouldn't want anyone pitying her.

Mirelle looked up from her cell phone where she'd been reading some texts. "We'll be having an inter-house drama competition next weekend! We need to select a team."

Mirelle was on the hostel committee, so she got to do a lot of such activities. "Portia, didn't you attend those drama classes the university offered?"

"At the most I'll help in writing the screenplay, don't even think that I would act in that!" I laughed.

"Cool then. I'll mail everyone about the event and you'll handle the writing part, I'll deal with the other things." Mirelle said. I nodded.

When Audra was halfway through explaining why she thought that unicorns could be real, I got a text from Summer saying she would be crashing at Abby's since they had an assignment due next day.

I looked at the time, 11 PM. "I'm leaving now. Thanks for meeting up."

"Bye."

"Good night!"

I started reading Pride and Prejudice under my bedside lamp's golden light. But it was difficult because I was alone with my thoughts for the second time that day and it felt like my subconscious knew something wasn't right. Or maybe watching countless thrillers and horror movies with Summer and Myra were finally rubbing off. That had to be it.

Just when I was about to go to bed around midnight, someone knocked on my door. It was Penny, who immediately realised that coming here at this time was a bad idea after noticing my exhausted glare.

"Hey, I know it's a bad time to ask, but I came to return Myra's notes. I tried calling her cell, but it was out of reach..." she said, handing me the notes.

"Oh, it's fine. Good night." I didn't wait for her answer as I shut the door and fell head-first onto my bed.

I'm as good as a madman after midnight.

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